Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Forget the casserole and go straight for dessert! These moist, spiced sweet potato cupcakes are topped with a marshmallow frosting, and then toasted to give them that familiar Thanksgiving flavor.

I have so many fond memories associated with blogging. It has been such a big part of my life for so long now.

But one of the things that started it all for me was The Daring Bakers. I still remember when I first got “the email”, inviting me to join this online baking group. We would all get a monthly assignment that we had to bake and post on the same day. But it all had to remain a secret until posting day. I was giddy with excitement, and to be honest – also quite scared. I had seen some of the previous challenges (aka The Crepe Cake) and didn’t know if I was a good enough baker to be a part of this community.

As it turns out, I owe so much to this baking community. Because of this group, I became much more confident in the kitchen. But even more importantly, because of this group, I really learned what it meant to be a community and to support each other. I think this is where I gained respect for other bloggers, where I learned that I wasn’t alone in this crazy blogging world. It was before facebook and twitter and pinterest and instagram. But we were all so connected and the support there was unbelieveable.

At the forefront of this group were two amazing ladies. In November of 2006, Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Creampuffs in Venice started the whole thing (which later turned into The Daring Kitchen).

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Sadly, earlier this week, Lis passed away. It was a shock to hear. Lis was always such a source of laughter and support. I still remember the comments that she would leave, and I remember reading her blog, laughing out loud.

It has been many years since I was part of this group, but today, many of us that have been a part of The Daring Bakers or The Daring Kitchen at one point or another are gathering together in honor of Lis and her memory. Remembering what she built, how she helped to bring us all together.

I wished that I could have gone back and remade one of the Daring Baker challenges from my past. But – as I am in the middle of moving and haven’t even unpacked my kitchen yet, it just didn’t happen. But I am glad that I had something that I baked up before the move to share with you all in honor of Lis. I have always liked to bake, but looking back over the years, it’s apparent how much I have improved. But even more importantly, how much more confidence I have from trying so many different recipes.

These cupcakes – well, they just may very well be my very favorite cupcakes ever. I’m not even kidding you. I made them for my husband to take to work for a pot luck, and he told me that they had to end up going to the store to buy cupcakes because the team leaders spotted the cupcakes before lunch and ended up eating almost all of them. I passed some of them off to two of my sisters, and both of them called me, raving over them. And let’s just say I’m glad that I didn’t have all of them at home, because I probably would have eaten them. I won’t even tell you how many I did eat!!

These are the perfect holiday cupcake, as well. What says Thanksgiving more than sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows? Well, as much as I love sweet potato casserole, I think I’ll be grabbing for one of these instead. 🙂

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Description

Forget the casserole and go straight for dessert! These moist, spiced sweet potato cupcakes are topped with a marshmallow frosting, and then toasted to give them that familiar Thanksgiving flavor.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cups milk

Marshmallow Frosting

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 30 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Beat the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Beat in the vanilla and then the sweet potatoes.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves. Mix half of the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture, followed by the milk, then the remaining flour.

Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Transfer to the oven and bake until the center springs back when touched, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the frosting

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Meanwhile, heat the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. Heat until it comes to a full boil, then remove from the heat.

Once the egg whites are stiff, slowly pour in the hot sugar mixture. Do not scrape the sides of the bowl, or you will have sugar crystals in the frosting. Beat the frosting until it forms a shiny, fluffy marshmallow frosting, 5-7 minutes.

Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Use a kitchen torch to toast the frosting.

Hi Deborah! First time to your site and I really want to try this recipe. I have a question: what can I substitute for the corn syrup? I don’t have anything against using CS, but I’d rather not go out and buy it. So I guess that means I’m lazy lol. Or should I stick with CS? Thanks in advance!

I am making them right now with sweet potatoes, but I haven’t put them in the oven yet. After I added the second group of the flour mixture, my batter got really think. I’m wondering if I should add a little more milk. I guess we’ll see when they come out!

Made them! Loved them! Used a brown sugar buttercream/cream cheese frosting and they are really great 🙂 Now they are ready to head out with me and my family to a Thanksgiving dinner. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for the recipe!

Hi! Just trying out your recipe and the cupcakes look great! My question is when do you add the vanilla in the frosting? Before you whip the whites, after you whip but before you add sugar sauce or after you add sugar sauce and the beat again? Thanks!

Oops – can’t believe I missed that! I will correct the recipe shortly, but you will add the vanilla last, after it is shiny and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for a few more seconds to incorporate it. Thanks for catching that, and sorry! 🙂